Deutsche Grammophon has released a new Original Jackets Collection box set; Bach Masterworks (Amazon.com, Amazon UK). Containing 50 CDs, this is an impressive set of Bach’s music, covering his cantatas, other sacred music, organ works, keyboard music, chamber music and orchestral music. It’s far from being a complete works set – that would come to about 170 CDs – but for those who don’t have much Bach in their collection, it’s worth getting. Out now in the UK, this set is due for release on December 10 in the US. It’s currently around £85, or $157.

I haven’t yet found a full track list, but it contains a broad selection from the vast DG catalog, including recordings from Decca, Archiv, L’Oiseau-lyre and other Universal labels. It contains John Eliot Gardiners St. John Passion and Christmas Oratorio, and Paul McCreesh’s St. Matthew Passion, has harpsichord works by Trevor Pinnock (including his Goldberg Variations, the first recording I ever bought of the work), organ works by Helmut Walcha, Karl Richter and Simon Preston, and features many other well-known performers.

This set seems to be full of many recordings that aren’t easily accessible, and would make a wonderful Christmas gift for any classical music collector.

Record labels are doing so many stupid things I almost wasn’t surprised when I hit the login/register screen… They call this “Buzz”, but it’s a buzz restricted to the select few who are willing to leave their email address to yet another company.
Another internet fail.